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First off, I saw this Dr. Seuss quote today and it pretty much sums up my entire relationship with Drew.

Our first married Valentine's Day! (but 6th total) ❤

“We are all a little weird, and life’s a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.“ –Dr. Seuss

Now, on to something else I’d like to discuss.

There are three kinds of people who always post on Valentine’s Day.

1. The whiny single person who complains about “yet another Valentine-less year.” “Going to drown my sorrows with a bottle of wine and The Notebook. Happy Valentine’s Day. #foreveralone”

–Here’s some tough love for those #1’s out there, maybe you would find a “Valentine” if you spent a little less time complaining and a little more time being confident and enjoying life, cause a man that’s attracted to that is probably the kind of man you want in your life.

2. The cynical “anti-capitalism” person who protests celebrating any holiday believed to be contrived by candy companies.

–Firstly, there’s these places called local companies that have still managed to survive (Euphoria Chocolate, Sweet Life Patisserie) and would be perfect for any Valentine’s treats. Instead of being all political about it online, just go support them. Secondly, companies take advantage of pretty much every holiday we have, and you happen to be using several major companies’ products just to be able to post that status, so if the entire basis of our economic system bothers you, maybe you should try and find a deserted island somewhere.

3. The show-off. This person feels the need to go on at length about how great (and apparently unoriginal) their boyfriend is. “I have THE BEST boyfriend in the world. Oh my god I can’t believe he surprised me with flowers, candy, AND he’s taking me to see The Vow tonight!!!” (Except she probably dropped not-so-subtle hints for the past month).

–Nothing wrong with recognizing your boyfriend or significant other, but maybe it’s time to tone it down a little. There’s no need to take it to a bragging level. If Valentine’s is the only day you talk about them or feel loved, then something isn’t right. You’re just making #1 even more depressed!

Lastly, thank you to the people who simply post about recognizing all the loved ones in your life!

Even though today is a day full of cliches and cheesy gifts, it’s ultimately about love. The issue for most of us lies in what our definition of “love” really is. Modern culture seems to put so much emphasis on finding someone who loves you for who you are, someone who is caring, sensitive, fun, adventurous, successful–you fill in the blank. While those things are important, it’s only half of the story. Shouldn’t the focus also be on trying to become a person who cares for another and always loves them for who they are? It should be about finding someone you can be there for and support without the purpose of needing something in return, just because you love them and make a conscious choice to do so every day.

Here are a few quotes from a super cheesy/still really good devotional we got as a wedding present. They are all in relation to marriage, but as the following quote says, marriage teaches us the basic nature of love in general, which I think can be applied to any of our relationships in life.

“Marriage is one of our main instructors on how love is supposed to be given and received. It teaches us how to defer to another, giving ourselves completely without reservation. It teaches us how to love someone without basing our affections on how hard they’re working for us.“

“Love is fundamental to the success of your marriage. Not your current feelings of romance. Not a stronger financial standing, or even your spouse’s behavior. All of these things can circumstantially change, and they will…When marriages crumble, couples often claim that it was due to their irreconcilable differences. But genuine love is a master at reconciliation. When love takes over, it compels us to humbly apologize and take full responsibility for our failures, then to fully forgive where our spouse has failed us. Over and over again.“

So on Valentine’s Day, it’s not about what we need or want in someone else, or what we don’t have. Focus on how you can become someone who practices love, which means practicing honesty, respect, commitment, and forgiveness in every relationship.

For some more Valentine’s goodness, check out the Wikipedia page for some history if you’re into that sort of thing. 🙂

Quotes from “The Love Dare: Day by Day”

I was reading my Southern Weddings magazine last night and I came across THE CUTEST little back page article and I almost cried. It’s about Ruth and Jerry Merritt- who both met each other and got married at age 83.

There is some information on their old website but the best part, the Q&A, is in the actual magazine. Here is the excerpt. Read with a Southern drawl in mind.

Jerry: We first met at the dinner table at Cumberland Village here in South Carolina. The first thing that I noticed was that she was a Christian lady and very sophisticated. Ruth: I overheard from my friends that Jerry was the best gentleman around here. The first thing I noticed about Jerry was that he had a lot of character in his face. We’re both old, but we’re going to make the most of what we have. It’s a good time together, and we’re very happy. He’ s a good husband who takes care of things. The secret to a happy marriage is commitment. Romantic love is important, but love isn’t everything. Love by itself won’t guarantee a happy marriage. Marriage is a challenge, but the secret is to find God’s will with one another and commit to it. Jerry: I think love is very important!